


Home Is Whenever I Am With One Of Us

by Shadadukal



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-23
Updated: 2011-05-23
Packaged: 2017-10-19 17:39:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/203459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadadukal/pseuds/Shadadukal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Helen returns to Old City while Nikola goes to visit an old friend.</p><p>Tag to Awakening.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Is Whenever I Am With One Of Us

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to grav_ity for the beta!

Finally back home, Helen went to her bedroom for a quick shower and a change of clothes before she went to her office. It was 3:30am so there was little point in going to bed, especially when she had work to catch up on.

She hadn't been seating at her desk five minutes, browsing the topics of the reports piled in front of her monitor so as to decide which one to read first, when her old friend appeared with a tray, setting a cup of tea and a plate of scones in front of her.

"Thank you," she said earnestly. He grunted in response, and left.

As she sipped her tea, she took a moment to wonder where Nikola might be headed to, and what he would reveal himself to have been up to further down the line. They had said goodbye at the airport in London, where Helen had landed her jet for a brief refuelling stop; Nikola leaving her with a flourish and a searing kiss she wouldn't soon forget, still high on being a vampire again.

She would know soon enough what his plans were. She didn't think he would stay away for decades this time.

+++

It hadn't taken him long to identify the most likely place where John could be found. In all the cities where he knew John to have hideouts, it was the only one with recent murders fitting John's MO. Once upon a time, that would have set James running, but now no one who would have a shot at stopping John cared enough to stop him; Helen preferring to steadily ignore John's murderous activities.

Nikola pounded on the non-descript apartment door, hearing movement inside the flat, steps coming closer to the door, long strides just before just the wooden door swung open.

John looked menacing, clad in dark modern clothes, the Ripper more present in his eyes than his old friend. It would make his job of convincing John more difficult, but Nikola had nothing to fear from the Ripper anymore

He saw the shift in John's body, the glint in his eyes, and reacted faster, clawed hand coming up to keep the door open even as John attempted to shut it in his face. The Ripper warred with John but finally the other man moved aside.

"So you've found a way to revamp yourself," John stated once the door had safely closed between them and the outside world.

"Actually, Helen revamped me," Nikola announced with a grin after changing back to his human looks. "I was shocked too," he continued at the stunned look on John's face.

"Why are you here, Nikola?" John asked in an even tone that didn't quite belay the danger swirling in his eyes.

"Do you think you can sit still long enough for me to get the elemental out of you?"

John grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, pushing him hard against the door, the madness of the Ripper strong in his eyes now. Nikola let electricity spark around his hand, the threat pulsing in the air between them. John pressed his body closer, keeping Nikola pinned to the door as he slanted his lips across Nikola's. The kiss was rough and Nikola barely resisted the urge to vamp out and bite John's conquering lips. That wasn't the game.

"Sure, we can do it like that too," Nikola grinned defiantly in the moment where John let up, just before the glint of the Ripper took over in John's eyes.

+++

During the few days Helen had spent in Africa, nothing out of the ordinary had happened, with the exception of the mission Kate had led. Helen was pleased to see her faith in the younger woman's loyalties had paid off again. Not that she had ever had reason to doubt, but after the week she'd had, Helen had nothing against positive affirmation.

She drafted an e-mail for Henry – Nikola had a point after all – and added she would very much like it if he constructed a version of the stunner that could switch between stunner blast and laser beam. He could tackle that once he was back.

It was now 8:00am and she knew her staff would soon appear for the daily meeting. She was sure her old friend had informed them of her return.

Sure enough, as she finished the last of her scones, they all filtered in, Will, Kate and her old friend.

"Hey," Kate said.

"Welcome back!" was Will's greeting.

"You all did a good job while I was away, especially you, Kate," Helen said, singling the other woman out and offering her a smile.

"So what happened in Africa? And is Tesla around?" Kate instantly asked, turning her head as if she expected Nikola to come waltzing through the door.

"Well, it turned out to have been a vampire stronghold instead of a Praxian one and, using the map and its defences, we blew up all the vampires to save the world from slavery."

Will's mouth had dropped open in shock.

"So the vampires are once more definitely extinct this time?" Kate asked.

"Not quite. I revamped Nikola."

"You what?!"

Helen turned towards Will, well aware of the animosity he felt towards her first friend from Oxford.

"I was hardly going to just let him die."

She could never have done that, although she had felt a twinge of regret at taking his humanity from him once more. While the other three male members of the Five had treated her with respect and hadn't begrudged her the right to study science, Nikola had been the only one to treat as a fellow scientist first and foremost, remembering she was a woman when he wanted to flirt, but never once thinking of her as something to possess or protect.

"I think he's cured of wanting to resurrect the vampire species," Helen offered to placate Will.

If Nikola ever sent her a call for help again, or if there was the slightest inkling he might be involved in a mystery, she wouldn't take Will with her. His mistrust of Tesla could blind him to where the real danger came from. She'd take Kate, whose customary caution and staunch professionalism made her a better choice for such missions.

Kate nodded, more to show acceptance than true assent, she knew. Will still seemed to be thinking of some argument as to why this had been a poor idea.

"I'm sure you all have work to do," she said to stall him. "Myself I must finish this report."

Kate left with another nod and her old friend grunted at Will to do so as well when he made no move to leave. Helen knew he'd be back later.

+++

"Did you have to feed on me?" John really felt he had to ask

"Did you have to rip all of my clothes? They're ruined now," Nikola complained. He was lying on his back on the floor whereas John sat against the wall, bare feet against Nikola's hip. There was something in Nikola's eyes, something wild and free.

"You're not on medication," John realized.

"Got it in one, Johnny! But don't worry, I'm in control. I'll keep to the animal plasma with added nutrient, but _I_ 'll control my bloodlust myself this time."

"Are you sure you can do that?"

"Helen made me bite her when I was really hungry and I took only enough to quench my thirst."

"It was Helen though." She'd be the last person on Earth that Nikola was likely to kill.

"I didn't drain you either, did I?"

John had to concede that was a fair point.

"I hope you're not renting the place."

John frowned at the non-sequitur.

"The state of the carpet, you're never going to get your deposit back."

Nikola gestured between them at the stains of blood, both his and Nikola's, and of other fluids.

"Why did you come here?"

"We already covered that, weren't you listening?" Nikola yawned, his neck cracking at the motion.

"Yes, but why visit me as your first stop after your revamping?"

He wanted to know. Why would Nikola do this? Nikola, who was once more the only being against whom the fury of the Ripper could be unleashed without lasting harm. Nikola, who knew how to struggle enough, not too much; just the right amount of defiance to make the monster inside howl. Nikola, who chose to submit himself to the abuse the Ripper inflicted upon him for reasons John couldn't fathom.

"I'm not really sure what to do, now that I'm immortal again. So while I figure it out, why not help an old friend?" Nikola replied, smiling at him, hair utterly mussed up. "I reckon the elemental will try to convince you I can't do it."

"And how long do you think it will take?"

"I've had some thoughts about it. I haven't solved containment yet. And I can't do it here, so whenever you're ready to leave," Nikola gestured grandly with one hand, the gesture quite odd as he was still lying on the ruined carpet.

"Give me five minutes," John said rising. Nikola didn't move, just lay there with his hands now tucked under his head, eyes closed. John toed him in the shoulder. The Serbian opened an eye, looking at him crossly.

"See what you can do for the carpet instead of napping."

Nikola grinned with too many teeth and was back on his feet in a flash, going from languor to alertness in the blink of an eye.

"So you are renting then."

"I'm not actually, but there's no reason to throw it out if it can be salvaged."

Nikola bent down to examine the remnants of his clothes.

"And I should be your maid because...?" the vampire prompted.

John just shook his head, leaving Nikola to the ruins of his garments as he went to pack a bag. Just as he was about to enter his bedroom, he turned back towards Nikola.

"Where are we going?"

"The vineyard."

Which was an extremely unhelpful answer considering how many vineyard hideouts Nikola actually had, and those were just the ones John knew about.

"Which one?" John almost growled.

"In France," Nikola supplied, now half-dressed and inspecting his tattered shirt disdainfully.

"I'll drink your cellar dry," John taunted.

"Don't you dare!" Nikola exclaimed, looking completely horrified at the thought.

"To dull the elemental," John finished, and he knew he had scored a win.


End file.
